Incense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter



Jane 2% 5 3489 Filed June 26 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet .rL

' Ir-LVQJzTEEQy-S: James T. Williams.

@0000 OO O k 000 00000 jl F. Ruzse. I a awfl Patented Jan. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INCENS'E VAPORIZER ADAPTEDFOR USE AS A CIGAR LIGHTER James T. Williams and Karl F. Riese; Minneapolis, Minn.;. said Riese assignor to said Williams Our invention relates. to anincense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter and has for its object to provide a device. embodying means for generating a flame which flame may be used as a cigar lighter, in combination with means for projecting a pan over the flame and causing incense liquid to come onto the pan and be vaporized by the flame.

It is a principal object of our invention to prvidesuch an incense vaporizer and cigar lighter in a small casing, adapted to beset upon any surface such as the top of atable or stand, wherein removable dry cell batteries are adapted to be placed, and wherein in the act of placingthem, they will form contacts Witha circuit to instrumentalities for efiecting .theignition and lighting of the flame, together with. means for closing said circuit as desired.

It is a further object of our invention to provide within the casing a source of inflammable liquid and means to convey it to a point near a resistance wire in said circuit whereby when said resistance wire is heated by closing of the circuit ghe liquid will be ignited'and a flame caused to urn.

It is a further object of our inventionto provide a' member adapted to be oscillated within the casing and having thereon means for closing and breaking the aforesaid circuit to cause such flame, and meansfor conveying of a film of liquid incense over said flame.

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in theidetailed description hereina'fter given, and the structure producing the numerous advantages attained by the use of the device is particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating an application of our invention in some of its forms:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of our invention.

N Fig. 271.5 a sectional elevation view takeneon line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isasectional elevationview taken on line' 3-'3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. Ms a sectional plan view taken on line 4-4- of. Fig. 2..

Fig. 5 is asectional plan view taken on line 5--5 ofFig. 2.-

Fig. 6 is a i fragmentary sectional plan. view taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a condensed side elevationview ofthe casin viewed from the side at the bottom of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a plan view ofv the cover and attached parts in :an inverted position.

2 Fig. 9 is a wiring diagram showing the circuits of the device of Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation view of a modification. Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation view taken on line H--|I of Fig. 12.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 10.

Fig, 13 is a sectional plan View taken on line l3l3 of Fig. 11.

Fig; 14 is a wiring diagram for the form of the invention shown in Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive.

A casing I5 is provided with side walls IE, I1, [8 and I9, a top wall 20 and a removable bottom wall 21. This bottom wall, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, is provided with a flange 22 having a laterally projected lip member 23 which extends nearly around the flange, Fig. 5. This lip member at the back (see Fig. 6) goes into the space between inwardly turned extensions 24 and 25, Also a plate 26 extends upwardly from flange 22 (see Figs. 5 and 6) and is adapted to be held by means of the finger screw 21, thus hOlding. the bottom member 2| removably positioned upon the casing 15.

Mounted within bottom member 2| is an insulating plate 28 which carries a pair of spring contact pieces 29 and 33 (see Figs. 2 and 3). These contact pieces are thus insulated from one another and from the frame.

Above the contact pieces 29 and 3b is a dry cell battery chamber 3| formed of an oval-shaped open-bottomed casin 3| having a top 32. A pair of dry cell batteries 33 and 34 of conventional construction, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are removably held Within the battery chamber 3| in 2.1-. ternately reversed positions so that the zinc surface on the butt end of battery 33 is in engagement with spring contact 29, and the terminal post 34 of battery 34 is in engagement with spring Contact 30. The top plate 32 is formed with a pair of circular openings 35 and 36, as best shown in Fig. 4. Riveted to this top plate is an insulating member 3'! which carries a contact post 38 adapted to be engaged by the contact member 39 on the upper end of the battery 33. To the post 38 is connected a wire 39. Similarly an insulating member underlies opening 36 and carries a contact post ll which is adapted to engage the conductive zinc surface 42 on the upper end of battery 34.

In assembling the batteries within the casing the bottom member 28 is removed, the casing inverted and the dry cell batteries 33 and 34 slipped into place with their contact posts reversed in position so that they will be mounted in series to carry the cumulative current of both batteries. The bottom member 28 will then be applied bringing spring contact member 29 into engagement with the zinc surface on the lower end of battery 33 and spring contact member 30 into engagement with the terminal post 34 on the lower end of battery 34. The two batteries are electrically independent of each other but are adapted to be joined in a series circuit by a pivotally mounted switching connection to be described hereafter. This switch connection comprises a bridge switch 44, indicated partly in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and having a finger piece 48 positioned opposite an opening 41 in bottom plate 28 in the position of Fig. 5, and is adapted to close the circuit between the two contact pieces 29 and 39 and hence between the two dry cells held in casing 3|. When it is desired to break this circuit the finger piece 48, Figs. 4 and 5, is operated to spring the prongs of the bridging switch 44 out of engagement with the contact pieces 29 and 39.

From the above description it will be apparent that the two dry cell batteries may be conveniently positioned within the casing l and the battery casing SI, and are put in circuit with the contact pieces 29 and 30 merely by applying the bottom member 28, and may be put in or out of circuit with one another by convenient manipulation of the bridging switch 44 which is pivotally supported on bottom plate 28 as indicated at 45.

A tank or container 48 for lighting liquid is attached to and supported by bracket member 18 removably held upon wall |9 by screws 19, Figs. 3 and 4, and is provided with a screw cap 49 which is positioned at the bottom of the con- I tainer 48 as held in the casing and closes the filling opening and the container, and is adapted to be held in an inverted position, as indicated in Fig. 3. the cap 49 being removable through opening 41 in bottom plate 2|, or when said bottom plate has itself been removed, so that filling takes place with the casing in inverted position. The container is filled with some porous material as mineral wool, indicated at 58, which ha imbedded therein a wick 5|. The closure wall 52 of this container is provided with a semi-circular upstanding rib 53 and has a tube 54 extending through it which conveys the wick 5| to a point adjacent the top plane of the member 53. Posts 55 and 59 are held within the space formed by the semi-circular rib 53 and are insulated from rib 53 and container 52, as indicated at 51.

Between these posts extends a resistance wire 58, Figs. 3 and 9. Wire 39' i connected with post 55 and post 56 is grounded as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and at 59 as indicated in wiring diagram Fig. 9. A semi-circular switch plate 60 is mounted so as to oscillate about a pin mounting 6|, Fig. 8, and carries a contact plate 82 adapted to engage the top of contact post 4| when the plate 60 is swung on the pin mounting, 6|, thus closing the circuit through the batteries to ground 83, as shown in the wiring diagram Fig. 9, which causes current from the dry cell batteries to go through resistance wire 58. This is heated white hot by the current and ignites the vapor coming from the wick 5| adjacent the resistance wire 58.

The plate 80 is provided with a nose 54 which projects through an opening 65 in the side of casing top 20. Upon the nose 84 is a finger pin 66 which enables the plate 89 to be swung on the pin mounting 9|. A spring 61, Fig. 8, connected with a post 69 on top plate 20 and with a post 10 on plate 60 holds the plate 88 in its retracted position where pin 88 contacts with edge of opening 65. When the plate 60 is swung on the pin mounting 6| it will bring the contact piece 82 over and in engagement with the contact post 4| and close the circuit to ground long enough to cause the flame to be ignited. The plate will be held in this extended position while the flame burns for the lighting of a cigar or cigarette, and when it is retracted be swung to its normal position a snuffer plate I2 comes above the end of wick 5| and extinguishes the flame.

The bracket member 18, Figs. 2 and 4, comprises a sheet metal part formed with a tubular portion 11 and removably held to the side wall l9 by screws I9. Within the tubular portion I! is seated a tubular incense container 13 which is provided with a lip 19 which overlies the upper edge of the tubular support 11. By this means the container 13 and the parts connected with it are mounted for oscillation upon the tubular part 1'! of bracket 18. A screw closure member 14 is threaded into the bottom of the incense container 13 which is fast on cap member 15. The cap member 15 engages a gasket 16 between its inner wall and the lower edge of container 13, by means of which the incense container is sealed against leakage. The edges of cap 15 overlie the edges of tube 11, Fig. 2, which prevents the incense container 13 from being withdrawn except when the cap 15 has been removed. Upon the closed upper end of the incense container 13 is mounted a cap member 8| which has a laterally extended portion from which extends a tube 82, Fig. 2. A wick 83 extends from within the in cense space in the container 13 indicated at 84 and through the tube 82.

The tube 82 has a downwardly extended mouth 85 which extends close to the bottom wall of a pan 88, said wall being formed or wire gauze or other reticulate metal. The wicking spreads over this pan, as indicated at 81 in Figs. 1 and 2, the pan or mesh bottom 86 is carried by an extension arm 88 of cap 8| and embodies extension pins 89 by which the whole assemblage may be conveniently swung from the position in Fig. 1. By this means the pan or reticulate receiving member 88 will be kept covered with a film of incense liquid brought up by the wick 83 and the pan can be swung over the flame at the top of tube 54 whenever the flame has been ignited by the closing of circuit through the batteries. The incense liquid on the pan is thus heated and vaporized to give a pleasant odor to override unpleasant odors which may on occasion exist in such places as bathrooms, kitchens and the like.

A somewhat different form of our invention is shown in Figs. 10 to 14. Here a casing 90 has side walls 9|, 92, 93 and 94 and a removable bottom wall 95 having corner extensions 98, Fig. 13, by means of which the bottom is secured to the casing 90 by screws 91. Within the casing 98 and supported by a transverse bar 98 are dry cell batteries 99 and N0. These batteries are held in reverse position, as is true of batteries 33 and 34, and are connected in series by means of a plate indicated at 98 and resting upon the bar 98 which is formed of insulating material. The current goes from the batteries through wire |0| to a post I02, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, which post is carried on a vertical frame portion I03 and insulated therefrom but in circuit with contact plates I04 and I05. The frame portion I03 is provided with wingplates I 09 and. I! which supportxa pair of pins: I'08 an'd' I00, Fig; 11. Upon the pins or rods I09 and' I09, isslidably mounted a piece l I0which carries acontainer II I adapted to hold a supply of inflammable fluid, preferably being filled with a material such as rock wool, indicated at II3, Fig. 13. The slide-piece H0 is held in central balanced position by means of compression springs" I-M'and H5; The slide-piece H0 is provided'with' a. handle member II6 ex tending through a slot II! in the side wall 93 of the casing 90.

A contact post H8 isinsulated from container walls I I3 and is adapted to be brought into contact with one orthe other of the contact plates I04 and I05 as the piece H0 and parts carried thereby is slid to right or to left. The top of container III is formed with an annular flange H9. A wicking I20 extends through-this top into the space within the annular flange I I9 and close to a resistance wire I 2| positioned therein. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11 a wire I22 connectsthe contact post" H8 with the resistance wire I2I and this resistance wire, as shown in Fig. 12, grounds on the frame at I23.

Frame portion I03 carries a snuffer plate I26 which overlie the flame from wick I20, when the parts are in normal or inoperative position, as in Fig. 12, and in that position will extinguish the flame. When, however, the piece H0 is moved either to right or left the circuit is closed and the flame is ignited. In the position at the left the flame ascends through the opening I25, Where the flame may be used as a cigar lighter. In the position at the right the flame passes through a larger opening I26, which has above it a. reticulate or gauze member I21. This gauze receives incense liquid from a wicking which is spread out over it at I28 and which extends through a tube I29 into an incense liquid receptacle I 30. The bottom portion of the wick is adapted to be immersed in the incense liquid in container I30. For filling the containers the casing will be inverted and filling caps removed. The filling cap for container I I I is indicated at I32 and a similar filling cap for container I30 is shown in dotted lines at I33 of Fig. '11. Numerous apertures I34 will be formed in either casing I5 or casing 90 to permit free ingress of air to the burner chamber.

The advantages of our invention have in general been quite clearly pointed out in the foregoing description. Among these advantages which may be specifically detailed is the fact that the devices are entirely self-contained. Electric energy is obtained from small dry cell batteries which are readily and simply exchanged for others when they become exhausted. No technical skill is required in getting the batteries in place, it only being necessary to reverse the poles of the batteries so that they will be connected together in series. The entire structure is very compact comprising in a practical form a cubical casing which is substantially three inches along each of its dimensions.

The instrumentality s0 organized has a further advantage of being not only an incense vaporizer wherein the vaporizing of the incense is effected directly by a flame, but of so arranging the parts of it that the identical flame which is used for generating incense vapor also is available as a cigar lighter. This is a feature of very marked advantage, since both the utility as a lighter and as an incense vaporizer is derived from a single flame and is of marked importance and value.

The construction isi simple,. cheap to construct and meets a long existingsand heretofore unsatisfiedneed.

W-eclaimt 1. An incense vaporizer adaptedfor use as a cigar lighter, which comprises a casing having therein means for igniting and sustaining an open flame, a container in the casing adapted to hold a supply of incense liquid, a pan, means to transfer" a portion of said incense liquid to the pan; and means for moving the-pan and the flame relatively to bring the pan above the open flame tovaporize said portion of incense liquid.

2. An incense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter, which'comprises a casing having therein means for igniting and sustaining an open flame; a container in the casing adapted to hold a supply ofincense liquid, a pan, means to transfer a portion of said incense liquid to the pan, and means for moving the pan and the flame relatively to bring the pan above the open flame to vaporizesaidpo-rtion of incense liquid, said'pan having its bottom formed to permit the passage of flame gas therethrough.

3. An incense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter, which comprises a casing having therein means for igniting and sustaining an open flame, a container in the casing adapted to hold a supply of incense liquid, a receiver for a portion of the liquid consisting of a gauze plate, means to cause a portion of said liquid to be transferred to the auze plate, and means for movin the gauze plate and the flame relatively to bring the plate above the open flame to vaporize the portion of incense liquid thereon.

4. An incense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter, which comprises a casing having therein means for igniting and sustaining an open flame, a container in the casing adapted to hold a supply of incense liquid, an arm on said container embodying a laterally positioned pan, means to cause a portion of said liquid to be transferred to the pan, said pan and container being rotatably mounted so that the pan may be moved to be brought above the open flame to vaporize the portion of incense liquid on the pan.

5. An incense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter, which comprises a casing having therein means for igniting and sustaining an open flame, a container in the casing adapted to hold a supply of incense liquid, an extension arm projecting laterally from the container having an opening therein with a gauze bottom, a tube extending to a point above and close to said gauze bottom, a wicking positioned within the incense liquid receiving space in the container and extending through said tube and into contact with said gauze bottom, said container and the arm carried thereby being rotatably mounted to permit the gauze bottom to be brought above the open flame to vaporize the portion of incense liquid thereon.

6. An incense vaporizer, comprising a casing, a compartment in said casing adapted to receive a pair of dry cells, a removable bottom to the casing for permitting introduction of the cells thereinto, contact pieces 0n said bottom, corresponding conductive surfaces on the cells, said contact pieces and conductive surfaces automatically acting upon insertion of the dry cells within the casing and upon securing the bottom cover in position on the casing to make an open electric circuit adapted to have series connection with the cells, means for closing the circuit, means whereby closing of the circuit will ignite a flame,

and means for bringing incense liquid in position to be acted upon by the flame.

7. An incense vaporizer, comprising a casing, a compartment in said casing adapted to receive a pair of dry cells, a removable bottom to the casing for permitting introduction of the cells thereinto, contact pieces on said bottom, corresponding conductive surfaces on the cells, said contact pieces and conductive surfaces automatically acting upon insertion of the dry cells within the casing and upon securing the bottom cover in position on the casing to make an open electric circuit adapted to have series connection with the cells, means for closing the circuit, means whereby closing of the circuit will ignite a flame, means for bringing incense liquid in position to be acted upon by the flame, and means carried by the bottom operative to close and break said series circuit between the cells.

8. An incense vaporizer adapted for use as a cigar lighter, which comprises a casing having therein an inflammable liquid container and having an enclosing top wall, a wick in the container having a portion extended out of the container, a normally open electric circuit having a resistance wire therein adjacent the extended portion of said wick, a movable member having a part adapted to close said circuit to cause the resistance wire to ignite a flame on the exposed part of said wick, an incense liquid container mounted within the casing at one side thereof, an opening through the top wall through which the flame may extend for lighting a cigar at the other side, a gauze bottomed pan in line with the opening through the top, means for conveying incense liquid from the incense container to and upon the gauze in the pan, and means to move the wick and flame from side to side to position it beneath either the top opening or the gauze pan.

JAMES T. WILLIAMS. KARL F. RIESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAIn. NTS

Number Name Date 1,973,958 Jones Sept. 18, 1934 1,802,269 Porter Apr. 21, 1931 25 2,152,466 Clyne Mar. 28, 1939 1,876,493 Frutkon et a1 Sept. 6, 1932 

